E i g h t e e n    Y e a r s    B e f o r e

Aurelia lets out a loud huff as she runs after the the boy who had grabbed her purse. He had come out of nowhere and grabbed it when she sat on the beach to watch the sunset. The brief moment of peace she had felt has been ruined, and she is going to give the boy and earful when she catches up to him. She has to push several people out of the way as she runs after the thief and is suddenly glad for all the years that she ran track in middle school and high school. This gives her the advantage that she needs and she easily manages to catch up to the boy.

"You're not stealing from me, you prick," Aurelia snaps, ripping the purse from his hands. "Sit your ass down, we're about to have a talk." When the boy doesn't move, she brings her foot up to behind his knee and makes his leg buckle. This gives Aurelia enough strength to pull him over to a bench and make him sit down. She takes note of his panicked expression, his tattered clothes and dirty overall appearance. He must be homeless or very poor. "So what's your name?"

The boy looks up at her with wide eyes, wondering why she even wanted to know. He can't help but worry that she is going to turn him in to the police. What he had done was an act of desperation, he had only meant to get the money in her wallet and leave everything else, but the girl had noticed what he was doing, causing him to take the purse. A feeling of shame creeps up on him and he takes a deep breath, resigned to the fact that this girl will most likely turn him in. He deserves it; he knows that deep down.

"Harry Styles," he says someone nervously. He takes a deep breath and pulls on the edges of his sleeves.

"So tell me, Harry, why did you think it was a good idea to steal from me?" Aurelia asks in hard time. Despite it being clear that this boy doesn't normally do these kinds of things, that it was an act of desperation, she's not going to let him off the hook completely.

"Look, I'm really sorry," Harry says with a hint of desperation. "I just...you won't turn me in, right?"

"I have half a mind to," she replies, still annoyed at what just transpired. "I don't appreciate what you've just done and you need to receive some sort of punishment." She's taken aback when she sees Harry's eyes widen. She presses her lips together when she sees fear.

"Please don't turn me in," Harry pleads. "I know I messed up. I know I shouldn't have tried to steal. I can't go to jail, please I have family that's depending on me." He can feel his eyes beginning to fill with tears as the consequences of what he's done hits him. If this girl turns him in, he wouldn't be able to take care of his baby sister, or his mother for that matter. His dad is out of the picture so he doesn't really matter, but the two women in his life depend on him. How could he have been so stupid?

Aurelia watches Harry panic and she feels her concern grow. Despite how angry she is with him for trying to steal from her, she does feel bad for her. It makes her wonder what his parents are doing, what his situation is, and if there's any way that she could help him. She's adamant on making him suffer some sort of consequence, but maybe she can help him out as well.

"Alright, Harry," Aurelia finally says. "Get up, we're going back to the boardwalk, get some popcorn and have a little chat. This is non-negotiable," she continues, taking a step back from Harry, who looks at her in surprise. What is she doing?

"O-okay," he says nervously. The two slowly walk back to the boardwalk in silence. Harry feels his worry growing, wondering when he'll be set free so he can go back home. He needs to check on how his mother and sister are doing. Harry evades the questions about his personal life and decides to not press the subject, especially since they don't know each other very well. The two eventually find a stall and Aurelia insists on buying the popcorn. Then, she leads Harry down to the beach, where her towel still laid out. That you sit down and for a while neither of them talk.

"So Harry, I'm deciding to trust you," Aurelia begins as she holds the bag of popcorn towards him. He takes a few pieces and hesitantly begins to eat them. He feels a flash of guilt at how she had paid for the food and is being so kind to him even though he tried stealing from her. "You truly seem to be down on your luck and I am willing to help you. There is a vacancy at the boardwalk and the spot is yours if you want it."

"W-what?" Harry asks, his eyes widening.

"My dad owns the boardwalk, and there's always positions open. As punishment for trying to steal, you're going to work on garbage control for two weeks," Aurelia says. "After that, you will be a ride operator. The pay isn't amazing, but it's decent. If your family needs jobs as well, they can get one," she continues.

"I-are you sure?" Harry asks, hesitantly. This offer is too good to be true. He has multiple arrests on his records from when he was caught stealing. He quickly tells her of the this and he's surprised when she smiles.

"Look, I may not understand what it's like to struggle with money, but I do know that people do stupid things when they're desperate," she begins. "And that most people deserve a second chance. I am willing to give you one." Harry feels like bursting into tears but he refrains from doing so, knowing that this would most likely make the girl uncomfortable.

"I... don't know what to say," he says slowly. "I don't even know your name so I can't think you properly." Aurelia stares at him before throwing her head back in laughter. She had been so focused on trying to figure out Harry that she didn't tell him her name.

"Aurelia Bristow," she says with a smile.

"Thank you, Aurelia," Harry says, waiting for her laughs to die down. "I um, I really appreciate you not turning me in. I don't think I deserve your kindness but I will work hard to prove myself."

"I'm sure you will," Aurelia says as her eyes focus on the water and the way the dimming sunlight hits it. Harry's gaze goes to the ocean and eats the popcorn as he sits in silence. "Oh, Mr. Styles?"

"Yes?" Harry asks, completely unaware of Aurelia's tone.

"If you ever try to steal from me again, I will not hesitate to break your legs."

S I X T E E N Y E A R S B E F O R E

"Come on, baby," Harry says with a wide grin. "I know you can do it," he continues, watching Aurelia struggle up the trail with a smirk.

"Shut it, Styles," she groans.

"Why?" he asks, smirking. "I'm merely trying to support my girlfriend. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong is the fact that I know you're mocking me," Aurelia huffs. "Just because I'm not as physically fit as you doesn't mean you have the right to give me shit. I may be weaker but I can still beat your sorry ass."

"You'd never hurt me," Harry says confidently.

"Want to test that theory?"

"And suddenly I'm happy with the distance between us," Harry chuckles. Aurelia grumbles under her breath before picking up the pace. When Harry had suggested to go on a hike, she hadn't expected him to choose such a difficult one. He knows how out of shape she is, but he's insisting on trying to get her to love working out as much as he does. He's even tried to get her to have some of his disgusting green smoothies that he loves so much, but she won't budge on that.

They've been dating for about two years now and started doing so a few months after they met. When Harry asked her out, Aurelia was skeptical but ultimately agreed. She was skeptical because she wanted him to focus on making sure that his family was taken care of. She didn't want him to be distracted, especially after what she had seen the first time she met his mother and sister. Thalia, his mother, is a recovering drug addict. She had gotten hooked on narcotics because of her ex husband. He had gotten arrested on charges of drug smuggling as well as murder. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison. His sister, Juliet, is now eight years old. She has remained happy despite the poverty that she had grown up in.

Things have gotten better for the Styles family, especially since Aurelia came into the picture. Ever since Harry got the job at the boardwalk, he's been able to save up money and buy his family nicer things. It also helps that he's been getting extra help from some of his coworkers, who he's bonded with. They all love and care for the boy despite the generational gaps. Juliet already looks at Aurelia like an older sister and she's always asking Harry when his girlfriend is coming over. While Thalia has been sober for a year and a half, she still struggles. She nearly had a relapse a few weeks ago but she's going strong now. It was only after she knew that his family was doing well that Aurelia agreed to go on a date with Harry.

"Aurelia-"

"Tell me to hurry up one more time and I will break you," she interrupts. Harry chuckles before stepping out into the clearing. He grins when he sees the large Pendleton Blanket laid out. There's a large heating lamp near by in case it gets too cold, but he's confident that they'll be fine.

"Look baby, I've set up a-"

"Fucking hell," Aurelia says, panting heavily when she finally makes it to the top of trail, right where Harry is. "I'm never agreeing to go on a stupid hike with you again." She lets out another huff before her eyes focus on the scene before her. "Oh."

"There it is," Harry grins as he wraps an arm around her. "And don't you dare complain about me being sweaty because you're just as bad as I am, if not more," he adds when Aurelia opens her mouth to protest. She rolls her eyes and lightly hits his stomach before going over to the the blanket. Harry had put a bottle of champagne, various types of cheeses and breads. The meal is light and simple, but neither of them care as they talk and laugh for hours.

Aurelia finds herself falling more and more in love with Harry. She had never felt this way towards someone, even when she was dating one of her exes. She didn't feel nearly as connected with them as she does with Harry, and she smiles to herself as numerous possibilities begin to run through her mind. She can see herself spending the rest of her life with him. She can see herself having a few kids and maybe even a dog. She can see them living in a large home somewhere in Los Angeles or New York.

Most importantly, she can see them growing old together. She's spent countless hours imagining what it would be like to grow old with Harry. She imagines that he'd be the crotchety old man while she'd be the cool grandma that would be able to calm him down. Their personalities are fairly different but they compliment each other very well. Aurelia can't help but wonder if her idyllic life could ever happen or become a possibility. Things are going well for the couple. Harry's tech startup is becoming more and more successful and there's a good chance that high profile businessmen will invest.

"Harry?" Aurelia says hesitantly as she strokes his long curls. His head, which had been resting on her chest moves slightly, indicating that he's listening. "I love you," she continues shyly.

"I love you too, Aurelia."

F I F T E E N Y E A R S B E F O R E

"Harry, you've got to support his head while you hold him," Aurelia says patiently as she watches her anxious husband hold his new born son for the first time. "There you go," she encourages as she watches his hand move so it's now cradling their son's head.

"He's so beautiful," Harry murmurs as he looks down at his son.

"He is?" Aurelia asks with a tired smile. "I think he looks like a brown naked mole rat," she continues as she lays her head back on the hospital bed's pillow.

"Our son is most certainly not a rat," Harry chuckles. "Though, I guess you're right. Babies are kind of ugly when they first come out."

"He's our little naked mole rat," Aurelia says, yawning. "Hand him over, will you? The doctors said that I need to feed him every couple of hours."

"But I want to hold him a little longer," he pouts. "Our baby is fine," he insists. As if on cue, the baby begins to coo softly, an indication that he's getting hungry. Harry pouts at this but hands his son over. He looks away as Aurelia unbuttons her shirt. A few minutes pass before he looks back and he feels his heart swell at the sight before him. His wife, who had just gone through nearly thirteen hours of labour, is smiling down at her son with an incredible amount of love. There's nothing more in the world that he loves than his wife--and now his son.

He can't believe how lucky he got with this woman and he hopes to cherish her for as long as both of them live. Someone like Aurelia deserves the world, and since his company is really picking up, he's going to be able to do just that. He can't wait to spoil his wife and son, and to move to New York at the end of the year. The future is looking a whole lot brighter for the two, and both of them are excited to see what happens.

O N E    Y E A R    B E F O R E

Harry kisses Aurelia's forehead and makes sure that she has everything she needs before leaving the penthouse. She's been sick for the two weeks with the flu. She had to go to the hospital for a few days to be quarantined and during that time, his stress levels have shot up. Not only does he have to worry about his wife, but he also has to worry about idiot employees fucking up his paper work. They had sent in the wrong files to the U.K headquarters regarding various investments and he's still having to pay for it.

It's lucky that his secretary, Celia, is such a work oriented employee. She's been working nonstop to fix the problem and Harry's incredibly grateful. He smiles to himself as he walks into his office building and he feels excited to see her. She's been incredibly helpful, even with his personal life. She's been the one to bring the medicine to his wife while he's in meetings. Aurelia's treatment has been expensive but he knows that it'll be worth it. He's also had to get his wife sleeping pills because she's had difficulty sleeping.

"Mr. Styles, it's wonderful to see you," Celia says with a smile. Harry glances at her and feels his pulse quicken when he looks at her sitting at her desk. She's wearing a very tight fitting blouse and the first two buttons are undone, revealing the tops of her large breasts. Harry sucks in a breath as his eyes move down to her open legs. He sees the lace of her panties, and he licks his lips.

His relationship with Celia Stephens has always been flirtatious. She was always hitting on Harry despite the fact that he was married. She's been over at his house before to watch Fynn. Harry's never taken advantage of his secretary's flirting but his self control has been slipping as of late. Aurelia has been acting strange for a long time, even before she got the flu. She's been less affectionate and she's been a lot more spacey. She's slowly changing into someone he can't recognise. His feelings for her are changing and there's nothing that he can really do about it.

"Good morning," Harry finally says, clearing his throat. He places his hands down in front of him, trying to cover his growing erection as he continues looking between Celia's legs. The secretary smirks, knowing that the effect that she has on her boss.

"Your coffee is on your desk, the fixed files have been sent away, and the meeting with Liam has been rescheduled," Celia says. She puts her elbows on her desk and leans forward, purposefully pressing her chest against her arms. Harry nearly moans at the sight of her breasts.

"T-thank you, Miss Stephens," he says in a strained voice. Her eyes lower to where his hands are and she licks her lips when she sees the large outline of his erection.

"Is there anything else that you would like me to do for you, Mr. Styles?" she asks in a low and sultry voice. His green eyes widen in surprise, especially because he desperately wants to say yes.

"N-no, thank you," he manages to say. "That is all for now, Miss Stephens," he adds before turning abruptly and rushing into his office. He shuts the door behind him and closes his eyes, trying to calm down his rapidly beating heart. This had been the first time that Celia's attempts truly had an effect on him. "Shit," he mutters to himself as he loosens his tie and collapses into his chair. He's painfully hard now and he knows that there's only one way he can make it go away.

While closing his eyes, Harry unbuckles his belt and slowly slides his trousers down along with his boxers. He carefully grabs himself and lets out a strangled moan as he moves his hand up and down his length. Images of Celia's lips wrapped around him causes his hand to move quickly and his breathing becomes uneven. He can easily picture her dragging her tongue up his length, and he suddenly wants nothing more than to fuck his secretary's pretty little mouth.

Harry's so engrossed in his own pleasure that he doesn't notice his office door opening. He doesn't hear Celia Stephens' heels click on the floor as she makes her way over to him. When she's a foot away, she clears her throat and smirks as she watches the man before her suddenly get very flustered. Her eyes flicker down for a moment to look at his member and smiles inwardly; it's as big as she imagined. There's silence between the two, but then Celia slowly sinks to her knees and pries Harry's legs apart.

"My, my, Mr. Styles," she chuckles as she boldly reaches out to grab him. He hisses at the action but makes no moves to stop him. "I'll repeat my question from earlier. Is there anything that I can do for you?" She squeezes very lightly, causing Harry to groan and move his hips up in desperation.

"Please, Celia," he groans.

"I need more than that, Mr. Styles," she says in a slightly mocking tone.

"Celia, please," he says, panting again as she slowly drags her tongue up his shaft. "J-just-fuck me, please."

"Gladly."

[•]•[•]•[•]•[•]

a/n: I guess I should say this now, but this story is a figment of my imagination. Harry is by no means a cheater or an ass in real life. I wanted to challenge myself since I have yet to write a story where he's a complete dickhead. Thank you all so much for the support you've been giving me so far. It means a lot and really gave me the confidence boost that I needed. This is also going to be the longest chapter.

ps. This is me as I plan out the story because I want y'all to go on a rollercoaster of emotions